| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you prefer to work with end clients or agencies? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Mario Chavez (X) 
Local time: 05:43
English to Spanish
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| Clients, customers, clientele | Jul 20, 2015 |
I agree with several of you: all of them are clients and receive the same treatment. Over the decades I've worked with very pleasant and chatty project managers as well as quite dour and demanding ones. No matter, it's a good discipline exercise for me: work with the customer to achieve a mutually beneficial and satisfactory end.
But necessity is the mother of invention and good manners. I even find myself improving the good way I treat a customer when I'm low on workload, for examp... See more I agree with several of you: all of them are clients and receive the same treatment. Over the decades I've worked with very pleasant and chatty project managers as well as quite dour and demanding ones. No matter, it's a good discipline exercise for me: work with the customer to achieve a mutually beneficial and satisfactory end.
But necessity is the mother of invention and good manners. I even find myself improving the good way I treat a customer when I'm low on workload, for example. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | TOTALLY OFF TOPIC | Jul 20, 2015 |
Mario Chavez wrote:
I'm actually of Celtiberian origin…
Being stuck with translating a complex and puzzling phrase, I decided to withdraw, to try attacking it again with a fresh look. So I went to check my e-mail.
In some sort of a daze, I read the phrase above as "I'm actually of celibatarian origin."
I was immediately struck by the idea that a translator was self-claiming to be a test-tube baby, which would influence their relationship with customers.
Sorry, couldn't resist sharing my thoughts. Back to the grindstone!
| | | | | Translation is a profession like any other | Jul 20, 2015 |
Mario Chavez wrote:
Thanks, José. This is one of the few and valuable times I found a few lines in your statements that I can definitely apply in my professional life. May I quote you? Thanks again.
It makes me sad that you only find a few usable lines in my statements. I live up to being an oddball in the trade, but can't help it, I stick to my guns.
I see the problem in the massive population worldwide who translates as a sidetracking activity. This is what leads people to now and then ask us, translators, "Do you only 'make' translations? Don't you ever work?"
I run my translation service exactly as I would run a medical clinic, a manufacturing plant, a store, any business: as efficiently and effectively as I can. As a business depends on customers, service quality - in all aspects - is always of paramount importance. That's all.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 05:43
English to Spanish
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José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote: Mario Chavez wrote:
Thanks, José. This is one of the few and valuable times I found a few lines in your statements that I can definitely apply in my professional life. May I quote you? Thanks again. It makes me sad that you only find a few usable lines in my statements. I live up to being an oddball in the trade, but can't help it, I stick to my guns. I see the problem in the massive population worldwide who translates as a sidetracking activity. This is what leads people to now and then ask us, translators, "Do you only 'make' translations? Don't you ever work?" I run my translation service exactly as I would run a medical clinic, a manufacturing plant, a store, any business: as efficiently and effectively as I can. As a business depends on customers, service quality - in all aspects - is always of paramount importance. That's all.
José,
I apologize. My words didn't come out right. This is what I meant to say:
Thank you for your statements, especially the last 3 paragraphs, which made an impression on me about carrying on relationships with customers.
May I still quote your words on my blog? wordsmeet.wordpress.com
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Mario Chavez wrote:
May I still quote your words on my blog? wordsmeet.wordpress.com
Mario,
Be my guest to quote them wherever you please.
| | | | Henry Schroeder
United States
Local time: 05:43
Member (2002)
German to English
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| Good question/poll - there are problems with both as a freelancer | Jul 20, 2015 |
I mostly work for outsourcers, pretty large ones that offer a high volume of work and make it easy to decline jobs if I don't have enough capacity.
Obviously, the drawback is that they pay less.
The problem with direct clients is that you need more organization, especially other translators who produce high-quality translations in case you have to pass the work on. So far my few experiences in the related area of passing on editing/proofreading work have not been encou... See more I mostly work for outsourcers, pretty large ones that offer a high volume of work and make it easy to decline jobs if I don't have enough capacity.
Obviously, the drawback is that they pay less.
The problem with direct clients is that you need more organization, especially other translators who produce high-quality translations in case you have to pass the work on. So far my few experiences in the related area of passing on editing/proofreading work have not been encouraging... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 11:43
Member (2006)
Russian to Hungarian
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SITE LOCALIZER | yes, yes, yes | Jul 20, 2015 |
Diana Coada, PGDip DPSI NRPSI wrote:
They offer good pay, reasonable deadlines, fast payment and cordial relationships. You're a professional and not just another faceless name in a database. Every now and then you also get to see their baby photos or get invited to their Christmas dinners. You're their equal.
With exceptions of very few agencies and some troublesome clients, if me - I love end clients sooo much!
| | | | Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 11:43
Member (2006)
Russian to Hungarian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Hugs to my dear colleague | Jul 20, 2015 |
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
I have both types - end clients and agencies - keeping a very cordial relationship with me. For them, I am a valuable business partner, and they are likewise my valuable business partners. We depend on each other to reach our goals.
I give them royal customer service, however I don't care much about what they offer. Call it "my way or the highway" if you wish. I make 'my way' to be the shortest and safest route to their goals. The highway, at best, will take them to the next town.
I set my price, and make sure that my delivery is well worth it. Weren't it so, I wouldn't have so many long-standing clients coming back all the time.
They may set their deadlines, if they wish, but mine shall prevail. While I'll try my best to meet their deadlines, I'll never promise anything I don't feel 100% sure that I can do.
On this count, a couple of Fridays ago, a very frequent client (agency PM) called me for an estimate. I gave it. Then she called me again a few times, trying to shorten the deadline. I didn't budge. At 11 AM she called me with an ultimatum: The client was desperate; willing to pay 5x (sic! - five times) the regular rate if I could deliver it (a couple of videos to translate & subtitle) on the same day by 5 PM. My reply was that I could TRY, but I wouldn't promise. Furthermore, I'd do it at my standard rate; if the agency wanted to charge 5x, it would be their chance to make some dough. The videos were in FHD using a somewhat rare combination of container format and codec, so several things could go wrong. I finished uploading the videos at 3:30 PM on that Friday. BTW, got some unrequested praise on my quality.
Payment terms? Thanks to the outrageously high interest rates in Brazil, I offer significant discounts for COD payment. Furthermore, instead of applying rush surcharges, I prioritize my assignments serving shortest payment terms first (I give them a choice). As 97% of my clients pay me COD, that's the way to go if they ever want to get served.
I give them every reason to want it my way, to make it worth it. Of course, I am just a number in countless agency databases, when not deleted already, who just want to make their way - no matter what - to a quick buck now and then, not a sustainable and profitable business partnership. I merely wish these agencies good luck.
Dear Mr Lamensdorf, this is worth to print out and put on my desk. Thank you for being you and being an example for me. Hugs from the other side of the world, Liza
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Diana Coada, PGDip DPSI NRPSI wrote:
They offer good pay, reasonable deadlines, fast payment and cordial relationships. You're a professional and not just another faceless name in a database. Every now and then you also get to see their baby photos or get invited to their Christmas dinners. You're their equal.
Seconded
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 06:43
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Doubtlessley, the client | Jul 21, 2015 |
I could quote several of the colleagues' posts here.
Any experienced translator knows the (big) difference between providing services directly to the client and being outsourced by an agency. I guess all the obvious reasons were already mentioned below.
Unfortunately, however, most of our services usually come from agencies. This is not so unfortunate, as direct clients are many times a "once in a lifetime event", whereas the agencies may be a long-term relationship.... See more I could quote several of the colleagues' posts here.
Any experienced translator knows the (big) difference between providing services directly to the client and being outsourced by an agency. I guess all the obvious reasons were already mentioned below.
Unfortunately, however, most of our services usually come from agencies. This is not so unfortunate, as direct clients are many times a "once in a lifetime event", whereas the agencies may be a long-term relationship.
So the best thing we do is to plan and prepare ourselves to work with agencies, because in the end, this is what will represent about 80% of our income, at least.
But since the question is "what do you prefer", I think the answer is still the client. The ideal situation for us would be to have enough regular direct clients to ensure a decent income. Utopic, though. ▲ Collapse
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